American Idol Season 23's Top 3 Finalists Announced

Season 23 of American Idol has seen a remarkable amount of talent. Judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and new judge and Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood, had the tough job of narrowing it down to the Top 24 during "Hollywood Week." From there, the power of who stays in the reality TV singing competition shifted to America, and each contestant had to prove they were worthy of continuing their Idol journey.

After a showstopping two-night Disney event that aired on May 11th and 12th, the Top 7 were narrowed down to five. The following night, America found out which three contestants made it to the finale—each now just one step away from turning their dream into reality.

The Top 5 American Idol Contestants Returned For Disney Night #2

On May 12th, the Top 5 American Idol contestants took the stage for Disney Night #2. Just the night before, they each performed two songs — a Disney classic and a heartfelt tribute to a special woman in their lives for Mother’s Day. This time around, they tackled two more Disney favorites, guided by their final mentor: award-winning actor and songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Voting began once the night kicked off with 17-year-old Slater Nalley taking the stage to sing Toy Story's "You've Got a Friend in Me" by Randy Newman. Luke Bryan shared that he's heard the song sung on the Idol stage many times, but this was his all-time favorite rendition. Next up was 18-year-old country star John Foster, who chose to sing "The Bear Necessities" from The Jungle Book. Luke shared that John had the whole package down with his look and sound, while Carrie Underwood enjoyed hearing him sing.

29-year-old Thunderstorm took the stage next to sing Cinderella's "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes." Lionel Richie believed he "knocked it out of the park" with Carrie agreeing, stating that "that song fit you perfectly." 25-year-old Breanna Nix decided to sing "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" by Natalie Cole and heard in The Parent Trap. Lionel shared that she "delivered" with Breanna, admitting she took a risk with the song. 27-year-old Jamal Roberts was last to perform during the first round of songs. He chose "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" from Remember the Titans. Both Bryan and Lionel gave Jamal a standing ovation. Lionel shared that he didn't know if he could "emotioanlly take another performance." Underwood loved his performance but wished he moved around the stage more.

For their second performances of the night, here is a list of what each contestant sang as they took on yet another Disney classic:

Slater Nalley - "Born To Be Wild" by Steppenwolf from the Mighty Ducks: D3

Thunderstorm Artis - "Find Yourself" by Brad Paisley from Cars

John Foster - "Rainbow Connection" by Jim Henson from The Muppet Movie

Breanna Nix - "You'll Be in My Heart" by Phil Collins from Tarzan

Jamal Roberts- "Beauty and the Beast" by Angela Lansbury from Beauty and the Beast

After all the performances, host Ryan Seacrest revealed the final results — announcing which contestants had earned their spot in the finals.

Who Are The Three Finalists Heading To The American Idol Season 23 Finale?

It was a spectacular two-night Disney event which was also a first for American Idol. After the Top 5 delivered their second round of Disney classics, Ryan Seacrest stepped onto the stage as the contestants stood by, anxiously awaiting their fate. In the end, two were sadly sent home, and three earned their spot in the grand finale.

Ryan shared that there were a total of 19 million votes and called out the three contestants who made the finale in no particular order:

John Foster, 18

Jamal Roberts, 27

Breanna Nix, 25

Unfortunately, that meant that both Thunderstorm Artis and Slater Nalley did not get enough votes from America and their Idol journey sadly ended. However, there’s no doubt that both of these talented artists will continue pursuing their musical dreams beyond the show.

Following their eliminations, both Thunderstorm and Slater took to Instagram to share heartfelt messages with their fans. They each thanked America for the support and votes, and expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to make it as far as they did in the competition.

Thunderstorm shared in a video: "Well, that was a great run. I had so much fun. I’m filled with so much gratitude that I got to stand on a stage in front of millions of people and sing songs that I’m really passionate about." He added, "“Yeah, really waned to make top three,” Artis acknowledged, “but you know what? It’s totally fine. I feel like we won a lot of things with just making top 5, and not even making top 5. But, I’m excited to put music out. I’m excited for what comes next. I know God has a plan."

Slater also shared a video message to his fans. "Hey y’all, I just wanted to come on here and say thank you," he began. "Thank you so much for everything. I cannot believe that I’ve made it this far already. American Idol, thank you for giving me this opportunity."

He continued, "And to the fans, thank you so much for bringing me some joy — so much joy — and getting me this far. I really just appreciate you all, and I’m so grateful for this."

"But let me tell you this, I’m not done."

"There’s a lot more going on, especially now that everything’s over. I can release my stuff, and you guys are going to really, really, really enjoy some of these new songs. So I’m really excited. I’m not bummed, I’m excited. And I love you guys. Thank you so much for everything," he shared.

What's Next For The Three Finalists?

The Top 3 finalists are going to head to their hometowns where they will be celebrated for making it so far in the singing competition. When they return for the grand finale, they will each sing their last and final performance on the American Idol stage before one is selected as the winner of Season 23.

Where the three finalists hail from:

John Foster - Addis, Louisiana

Jamal Roberts - Meridian, Mississippi

Breanna Nix - Denton, Texas

The finale will be a star-studded event with several A-list entertainers taking the stage, including Salt-N-Pepa, Josh Groban, Jessica Simpson, Patti LaBelle, Good Charlotte, Brandon Lake, and more. The judges — Lionel, Luke, and Carrie — as well as Season 23's artist-in-residence Jelly Roll, are also hitting the stage for memorable performances.

Then, Ryan will announce the winner of American Idol. The winner receives a recording contract with Hollywood Records, along with a cash prize and mentorship.

The American Idol Season 23 finale premieres on May 18th at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.